DUBAI, UAE, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trip.com Group, a global leader in travel services, continues to build on its strong momentum in the Middle East with a series of strategic initiatives showcased at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025. Following the landmark partnership signed with Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism at the Group's global conference in December 2024, Trip.com Group is deepening its regional footprint through new collaborations and thought leadership at this year's premier travel event.
Fostering Partnerships to Unlock Tourism Growth
Ms Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, highlighted the extensive collaborations between Trip.com Group and global destinations in her keynote speech, "Partnering for Progress: Unlocking Tourism Growth Through Innovative Collaborations." She shared insights into how trends like entertainment travel, educational travel, and elderly travel are bringing fresh opportunities to the Middle East and how technological innovations in super apps and personalisation are transforming the way destinations engage with travellers.
"The Middle East presents tremendous growth opportunities and serves as a crucial node connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia. Convenient entry policies, increased direct flights, and robust investments in tourism have contributed to its rapid recovery," said Ms Sun. "With our insights into new consumer trends and our dedication to business and technological innovation, we look forward to strengthening our collaboration with regional partners to attract global travellers and bring forth a more connected and prosperous future."
Expanding Airline Partnerships to Enhance Regional Connectivity
The Group continues to strengthen its regional connectivity through strategic partnerships in the region. At ATM 2025, Trip.com announced a new alliance with Saudia, combining its digital expertise with Saudia's exceptional service and extensive network. Saudia's award-winning offerings will be provided to global travellers on Trip.com, including premium cabin experiences, curated inflight dining, exclusive amenity kits, etc.
Additionally, Trip.com unveiled a strategic partnership with Flynas, the leading low-cost airline in the Middle East, to integrate Flynas' flight offerings across Trip.com Group's multi-brand platforms. This collaboration aims to broaden Flynas' visibility and accessibility across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, supporting its growth aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. Together, these partnerships reinforce Trip.com's commitment to seamless, tech-driven travel and support the Middle East's emergence as a global travel hub.
New 3-Year Partnership MOU with Visit Oman to Boost Digital Tourism
In a significant development at ATM 2025, Trip.com Group signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Travel Operator - Visit Oman to bring a curated selection of Omani travel experiences from local providers and SMEs onto Trip.com Group's global platform. This partnership will be supported by a joint global digital marketing campaign targeting Chinese and APAC markets-key sources of outbound travel-leveraging AI-driven personalisation and Trip.com Group's extensive network to amplify Oman's appeal to luxury, adventure, business, and digital nomad travellers. The collaboration aims to empower local tourism businesses and position Oman as a premier destination in the rapidly growing Middle Eastern tourism landscape.
Strategic MOU with BAAN Holding Hospitality to Promote Saudi Hospitality to Far East Market
Further expanding its regional alliances, Trip.com Group signed an MOU with BAAN Group, a leading Saudi hospitality group. This partnership will utilize Trip.com Group's marketing expertise and global platform to elevate the visibility of BAAN's Group, attracting diverse traveler segments from Far East Market and supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 tourism ambitions. The alliance underscores Trip.com Group's commitment to fostering tech-driven tourism growth and seamless travel experiences across the Middle East.
Riding the Wave of Growing Global Travel to the Middle East
These initiatives come amid robust growth trends in Middle Eastern travel markets. According to the data from Trip.com Group, in Q1 2025, inbound travel bookings to the Middle East increased by 37.5% compared to Q4 2024, with Dubai emerging as the top destination in the region. Among all inbound travellers, millennials constitute close to 60%, reflecting the growing demand for experiential luxury, wellness, and culturally immersive journeys. The region's expanding aviation infrastructure, new hotel developments, and mega events such as Expo 2030 Riyadh are further fuelling demand. Trip.com Group's technology-driven approach, including AI personalisation and seamless multilingual booking capabilities, positions it to capture and enhance this rising global interest in Middle Eastern destinations.
Trip.com Group remains committed to driving innovation and connectivity in the Middle East's travel and tourism sector. With these strategic partnerships and leadership engagements at ATM 2025, the company is well-positioned to support the region's evolving travel landscape and contribute to its sustainable growth as a premier global destination.
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About Trip.com Group
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.
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